Modern football’s beyond size, weight and physique – Onazi

By Augustine Akhilomen

Super Eagles midfielder, Ogenyi Onazi has revealed that modern day football has gone beyond just looking at the size, weight and physique of a player.

He noted that N’Golo Kante has proved that size doesn’t matter but your fitness and physical capability.

The Nigerian international was part of the Super Eagles squad that lost 2-0 against Serbia in an international friendly match on Tuesday ahead of the 2018 World Cup.

“Football today is beyond size, weight and physique. Most important is to try to be fit in every aspect of life.

“For me, this is about modern football. Modern football is: if you can be there before your opponent, that’s the most important thing. [Central midfield] is one of the most difficult positions in football because you determine how the game is going to be played – fast or slow – and how it unfolds tactically.”

“When I was growing up I used to play as an attacker, from the right or left wing, or even as a striker. In the under-17s, when I played with coach John Obuh I played virtually all positions – it was only the goalkeeping position I didn’t play [laughs].”